A Warwickshire blogger is taking to the stage with some of the nation's top chefs at the UK's largest family fundraising festival created by radio king Chris Evans.

Food writer Ellen Manning, who writes award-winning local food blog Eat with Ellen, will be hosting the 'Cook's Companion' stage at CarFest, which takes place at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hampshire, from 25 to 27 August.

The 40-year-old journalist and blogger, who lives in Rugby, will host some of the biggest names in the food world including Michelin-starred chefs Atul Kochhar and Michael Caines, as well as the Midlands' own 'Yummy Brummie' Glynn Purnell, as they take audience members through new food skills from jointing a chicken to cooking the perfect steak.

Other sessions across the weekend include how to make homemade sausages with artisan sausage-maker Alasdair Clark, perfect cake decorating from Channel 4 Extreme Cake Makers Award Winning Cake Artist Molly Robbins, a shellfish guide with chef Freddy Bird and even how to make your own smoker with Simon Dyer.

The Cook's Companion stage is just one part of CarFest, which comprises seven festivals in one, including sections showcasing cars, music and food, as well as stars, adventure, a 'SpaFest', kids' activities and a 'Retrofest'.

Created by Chris Evans in 2012 to help raise funds for UK Children's Charities, CarFest is the largest family fundraising festival in the UK and so far has raised over £20million for its charity partners.

Ellen, whose blog Eat with Ellen showcases and supports food and drink businesses around Warwickshire and further afield, has previously hosted stages at major events in the region, including Coventry Food festival and Tom Kerridge's Pub in the Park, which took place in Leamington Spa earlier this summer. She also helped found the Foodie Awards Coventry & Warwickshire, and acted as a judge for the awards in 2022.

The food-lover also runs PR consultancy EMPR, working with a range of local organisations and businesses including Warwick Chamber of Trade, Visit Coventry, Empress Ale and Libertine Burger, who will also be heading to CarFest to serve up their award-winning burgers.

Ellen said: "For someone who spends most of their time either eating or drinking, writing about food, or thinking about their next meal, it's a real privilege to be hosting the Cook's Companion stage at CarFest and to be showcasing some great skills from some of the nation's top chefs.

"I've had a ball being involved in some amazing local events in Coventry and Warwickshire, and now to be involved in such a huge national festival for a great cause is a real pinch-me moment. I can't wait - and hopefully I'll bump into some fellow food fans from Warwickshire down there.'